The Use of Literature as a Tool for Holistic Development of Students’ Personality (Published)
Man is not just a physical being but also has several other dimensions which include the spiritual (soul and spirit), social, cognitive and emotional aspects; the proper development of all these listed aspects of man can be viewed under the scope of holism. It is not only the intellectual and vocational aspects of human development that need guidance and nurturing, but also the physical, social, moral, aesthetic, artistic and spiritual aspects. As a result, this paper looks at how holistic education can be used in developing Literature-in-English curriculum in Nigeria, the interconnectedness of all aspects of human life vis-a-vis Literature-in-English, its implication on teaching and learning. This paper draws ample instances from two texts from the present West African Examination Council (WAEC) 2016-2020 Literature-in-English syllabus. It concludes by stating that education should be based on experiential learning and should empower all citizens to participate in meaningful ways in the life of the immediate community and society at large. It also advocates that holistic education as an approach to pedagogy meets the needs of all types of learners, serves as a source of fulfilment and gratification for teachers and parents which should therefore be integrated into the Nigerian education at all levels.
Keywords: Literature, Pedagogy, holism, interconnectedness, personality and curriculum.